On February 2, a busted stormwater pipe at the Dan River Steam Station, dormant since 2012, dumped between 50 and 80 thousand tons of coal ash and between 24 and 27 thousand gallons of water into the Dan River, according to the EPA. Duke Energy has filled a section of the busted pipe with concrete grout, tested on February 8. They discovered that the busted pipe, “which was installed decades ago, was made of corrugated metal at its break point instead of the reinforced concrete it was believed to be,” contributing to the initial leak. According to Charlie Gates, Duke Energy Senior VP for power generation operations, the next step is “to continue to monitor water quality of the river and to accelerate our planning for the best long-term solution at the site…We are accountable for what happened and have plenty of work ahead of us.”
I think a question we discussed in class on Tuesday can apply here. In reference to the Great Barrier Reef case study, the question was posed, “Why does the average Louisiana farmer care about the Great Barrier Reef?” What does the average North Carolina resident want from Duke Energy? I would say they would dislike unsafe levels of toxic metals in their drinking water as a result of coal ash. “Downstream municipalities say they’ve been able to filter out the potentially toxic metals in the ash.” I would say they want to be able to turn on their lights when they come home each evening.
Another post criticized Governor McCrory for decreasing environmental groups’ ability to check Duke Energy. I think massive lawsuits against Duke Energy would do harm to the energy infrastructure in the southeast and the midwest. Duke Energy provides power to most of North Carolina, so Governor McCrory absolutely has invested interest in Duke Energy. Should Duke Energy fold, whether it be due to massive lawsuits brought by environmental groups or due to failed environmental regulatory compliance, a giant void in the power grid is left across North Carolina. I’m not qualified to judge whether six days is or isn’t an appropriate amount of time to assess the problem, plan a course of action, and execute that plan, but Duke Energy is taking steps to remedy the situation surrounding the Dan River Steam Station. An internal analysis by Duke Energy and a legislative inquiry by the North Carolina state government will determine any changes that need to be made going forward.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/09/4677984/duke-energy-permanently-plugs.html#storylink=cpy